Report to the church from the UCC Board: March 2025

Julia Gaughan, chair of the United Church of Christ Board, is an authorized minister serving Peace United Church of Christ in Alma, Kansas, and a member-in-discernment with Plymouth Congregational UCC in Lawrence, Kansas. She has written the following as her most recent report from the UCCB:

Greetings beloved friends and family of the United Church of Christ.

The United Church of Christ Board of Directors (UCCB) met for our March meeting from March 6-8, 2025 in Cleveland.

We began our time in joint session with the Council of Conference Ministers. These joint sessions occur annually and have helped strengthen the relationship across these settings and leadership of the UCC. Of particular note during this Joint Session, those gathered discussed how our various settings and local churches are fairing during our present moment and shared together in prayer, worship, and fellowship.

Thursday afternoon, the UCCB received reports from the Governance Committee, the Common Global Ministries Board Committee, the Chair/Vice-Chair Nominating Committee, and undertook work as the Business Committee of the General Synod. Rev. Shernell Edney-Stilley, Chair of the Governance Committee, presented the nominees for the General Synod Nominating Committee for recommendation to the General Synod. Joyce Bathke, Chair of the CGMB Committee and Co-Chair of the Common Global Ministries Board, highlighted the work being done to revise and update the Standing Rules for CGMB in partnership with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Tracy Keene, Chair of the Chair/Vice-Chair Nominating Committee, conveyed that all eligible nominees have been contacted and that the committee anticipates presenting it’s nominees at a virtual meeting of the UCCB in May for consideration.

Acting as the Business Committee of the General Synod, the UCCB reviewed and approved for recommendation to the General Synod requests for Voice without Vote to the groups that have requested such consideration. The General Synod will take up these recommendations for action when the General Synod gathers in July in Kansas City (be sure to join us by registering here).

Still acting as the Business Committee of the General Synod, the UCCB reviewed the report from the Subcommittee on Disposition regarding the resolutions that have been submitted for consideration by the General Synod. The Subcommittee on Disposition spends careful time and consideration determining which resolutions should be referred to committees of the General Synod, heard during plenary, or given directly to another implementing body such as the UCCB. Discussion during this portion of the Agenda focused on whether the STAR Coalition Resolution should be sent to the UCCB as originally recommended by the Subcommittee or to a General Synod committee. After a lengthy discussion, the UCCB decided to amend the Subcommittee’s report to refer the STAR Coalition Resolution to a General Synod Committee.

After worship on Friday, the UCCB received a report from our General Minister and President/CEO, Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson about the state of the National Ministries of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Dr. Thompson invited the UCCB to consider how we are being the church during this particular sociopolitical moment in the United States, especially in light of the UCC’s place as a united and uniting church, which does not seek uniformity but instead seems to listen and work together across theological and other differences. We spent a significant amount of time discussing communication across the wider church and ways we are working with partners and engaging in coalition building to help serve those who are most in need and pursue a just world for all.

The UCCB reviewed and adopted a revised Statement of Investment Policy from the Investment and Endowment Committee that will enable increased diversification within our investment portfolio, which in turn helps the UCC use its investments to carry out missional priorities. The UCCB thanks Careina Williams, I&E Committee Chair, for her leadership in developing the revised SIP and United Church Funds, our ministry partner and investment advisor for their support through this project and their continued excellent work on behalf of the UCC.

Mark Dutell, Chair of the Finance and Budget Committee, shared the 2024 financials with the UCCB, which include a year-end surplus. During the UCCB’s F&B discussion, questions arose regarding the drop in OCWM dollars. The GMP/CEO in connection with the UCC’s Chief Financial Officer are further investigating the OCWM reduction in 2024. Moreover, a new Philanthropy Director, Michelle Carver, came on staff in January, which is anticipated to have a positive impact on revenue.

The UCCB received reports from Acting Associate General Minister for Love of Neighbor, Rev. Shari Prestemon, Transitional Executive for Love of Church, Rev. Dr. Bentley deBardelaben-Phillips, and Chief Divisional Officer of Church Building and Loan Fund, Rev. Patrick Duggan. The UCCB thanks these leaders in the National Ministries of the UCC for their excellent work and thanks all staff from the NMUCC for their ministries and service to the UCC and the world. Please check out the D.C. Office’s latest project, the Pilgrim Press’s most recent publications, and all of the wonderful work making a difference in the world today.

The UCCB received reports from the Search Committees who have been conducting searches to nominate candidates to be elected as Associate General Minister for Love of Church and Associate General Minister for Love of Neighbor. These reports are being shared via separate news items within the UCC News, which can be found here (AGM, Love of Church), and here (AGM, Love of Neighbor).

Currently, the UCCB has a Standing Rules Task Force working on reviewing and proposing revisions to the Standing Rules. During our meeting, attention focused on ways to make the eligibility requirements for Chair and Vice-Chair nominees less binary and more flexible to address lack of representation for historically underrepresented groups at the leadership level. These concerns will continue to be addressed and reviewed by the Task Force, which anticipates submitting its recommendations to the Governance Committee for review and action so these recommendations can come before the UCCB in July. 

A Subcommittee from Governance has put together a communications plan to share more information and hear from the wider church about the proposed amendments to the Constitution and ByLaws. A series of articles will be forthcoming about these proposed Amendments along with multiple webinar options.

During General Synod 34, General Synod adopted a Resolution Denouncing the Dobbs Decision. This Resolution asked the UCCB to explore the creation of a Bail Fund to offer bail support to people arrested for protesting for reproductive rights or for securing access to abortion-care. The UCCB convened a Task Force to complete this work. The Task Force determined that connecting local churches with existing Bail Funds would better serve the wider church than undertaking the technical and resource-driven work of creating a new Bail Fund. The full report, including resources and information about an upcoming educational webinar will be submitted to the General Synod.

We are looking forward to going Into the Deep with our beloved church community this July at General Synod 35 in Kansas City! Please join me in praying for our church and our world as we prepare to come together as the General Synod of the United Church of Christ.

In service,
Julia Gaughan

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